Analysis of the data from the black boxes of an Ethiopian Airlines plane that crashed, killing all 157 people on board, showed "clear similarities" with an earlier crash of the same jet model, a spokesperson for the Ethiopian Transport Ministry has confirmed.

However, US officials have told Reuters they had not yet validated the data, emphasising "the investigation remains in the very early stages".

In October, a Lion Air crash killed all 189 people onboard, after pilots fought against the jet's automated nose dive.

Both planes were Boeing's top-selling jet model, the 737 MAX 8, and pilots in both crashes reported flight control problems during take-off.

Sure is. Those bullet points, assuming there’s any truth to them, are worrying.

I’m not convinced by Boeing’s proposed software fix. Admittedly I’m neither a pilot nor an avionics engineer, but I don’t understand how simply having both AOA sensors provide data to the MCAS resolves the problem, particularly as an AOA sensor fault is being discussed in terms of Lion Air...

I, personally, was siding with “it’s safe but a grounding is the most appropriate course of action” until the last few days. Now, I’m beginning to think the sign off for the MAX to return to service needs to come from EASA or TC, or another similarly independent regulator. I think the industry and the public, and confidence in this aircraft type, would be better served by not allowing Boeing and the FAA to have that level of authority.

Both the EASA and Transport Canada have said they will conduct their own independent certification process on the MAX prior to return to service in their jurisdictions, rather than relying on the FAA process again. Reportedly both the Inspector General and the Department of Justice will review the FAA/Boeing certification processes.